Charles hicks



(No Model.)

C. HICKS. 'MEANS POR TUNING PIANOFURTBS. No, 601,322x Paten-ted Mar. 29,1898.

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ATTYS.

PATENT einen.

CHARLES HICKS, OF LANDPCRT, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR TUNiNG PEANCFCRTES.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 601,322, dated March 29, 1898.

Application filed December 4, 1897. Serial No. 660,771. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

.Be it known that I, CHARLES HICKS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 199 Fratton road, Landport, in the county of Hampshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improved Means for Tuning Pianofortes and other Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and efcient means whereby the operation of tuning pianos and other stringed instruments-that is to say, adjusting of the tensile strain upon any wire or string-may be eifeeted not only with ease and rapidity, but also with greater delicacy and accuracy than heretofore. For this purpose, according to my invention, I employ specially-constructed adjustable rotary pegs or plugs, which may be used either alone or in connection with the usual pegs or any conveniently-fixed point, and these, together with their operation and use, I will now fully describe in reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a sectional elevation showing the three component and coacting parts of one of my improved tuning-pegs loosely assembled. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing them put together and screwed down. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing a complete peg fixed into the tuning-board of a pianoforte with a wire attached. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of my improved peg, showing its use in connection with an ordinary or iixed peg; and Fig. 5 is a part view showing the general arrangement in a pianoforte of the latter method of using my improved pegs.

My improved tuning-peg consists of three parts, viz., iirst, a tubular nut Nfor fixing in the tuning-board; second, a coned operating plug P, screwed thereinto, and, third, a loose annular collar C.

The shank of the plug P is screw-threaded about its lower part p and has at its upper part a coned shoulder p', surmounted by a collar p2 and a squared head p3 for receiving the tuning-key. The tubular nut N has a central opening o and has a female screw n at its base of less diameter than that of the opening 0. The head is open to receive the plug P and may either be coned internally at n to correspond with plug-cone p', or it may have a cylindrical recess equal in diameter to the largest diameter of the cone p, so that in either case the cone p can enter the recess 'a' for its full length. The annulus of the collar C may be parallel-sided, but it is preferably coned internally, and it has a flange c to serve as a bearing for the cone-collar p2, and a peripheral groove c' is formed for the reception of or fixing of the wire or string IV.

1When the three parts are not tightly screwed up, as will be seen, there is a slight playbetween the plug P and the nut N, owing to the difference of diameters of the plugshank p and the space 0. This is provided in order to allow greater range of motion of the parts in timing. (See, for example, Fig. 3, where the tension of the wire lV imparts a slightlydnclined position to the plug P as long as it is not screwed in tightly.)

Fig. 3 shows the peg used alone and screwed into the tuning-board B of a piano, the wire being attached to the ringcollar. Fig. 4- shows the wire passing over Ithe ring C as a pulley and lined at its end to an ordinary or fixed peg T. For convenience in fixing and removing the nut N it is threaded for a suitable distance CZ externally and provided with cross-cuts d in its head to receive a simple screw-driver. Preferablythese tuning-pegs, together with the fixed pegs T, if used, are fixed to the upper tuning-board B of an instrument, and the other end of the wire IV is attached to one of the usual steel pegs T on the other or lower tuning-board I3', the arrangement being such as is illustrated in Fig. 5. As will be seen, the ring C will slide upon the cone p as the plug P is screwed into or out of the nut N and according to its position thereupon, whether the wire be iixed to the ring C or passed over same and fixed to peg T, so is the strain upon the wire IV increased or decreased by simple turning of the plug Pand in a delicate and positive manner. Assuming a position of the parts such as Fig. 3 and the tone flat, to tighten the string the cone P is to be screwed farther into the nut N, and the ring C, sliding up the ingoing cone p', tightens the string IV, and by the reverse operation the tension on the string will be released and the tone flattened.

Having now described my invention, what IOO being` adj usted as required, by regulating the position of the ring` U on the Cone 25) by operating` the plug P, the whole combination being)y Constructed and adapted to operate substantially as described and illustrated.

ln Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

CHAS. HICKS.

Vitnesses:

ALFRED W. DAsHrnn,

HERBERT E. WiNDsoB. 

